You will need to sign on with your LLLID (La Leche League ID) before you can post. If you have never claimed your LLLID, create your LLLID now. To sign in, click the LLLID Sign On button in the upper right corner. Enter your LLLID Alias and click the button again.

Baby refusing bottle

I am returning to work next week and the last who will be keeping my kids came over today just for a "run through". My baby has taken a bottle from my mom without a problem. She REFUSED her bottle from the sitter today. About in tears, I finally took her and let her nurse. What am I going to do if this happens next week while I am gone?!

Re: Baby refusing bottle

hi there, I started back at work recently and mine did too. She was fine in a weeks time and adjusted well. I felt the same way as you and was worried but it was a matter of time. Its hard leaving our babies and going back, but all will be well. Good luck mama.

Re: Baby refusing bottle

Thanks for the reassurance. I am just nervous. My baby is almost 12 weeks old now. She has been around the sitter a little but not much. I have been researching some and think it may have been that I was still in the room with her. I am going to have my MIL keep her today so I can go to the store and going to leave a bottle with her.......So hopefully things will go alright with them and I will feel some better. What are the other options mentioned that depended on her age?

Re: Baby refusing bottle

Rarely, very rarely, some babies just do not take to bottles, and in that case, you can try alternative feeding ideas, like cup feeding, which can be done at any age, or sippy cup feeding, which seems to work well for some babies but probably more for a little older, at least 4 months or so. The issue is to not put baby in a position where milk is going to pour down the throat but rather where baby can control the flow, much the same idea as with the paced bottle feeding technique as in the link above.

Dr. Jack Newman has a good video on cup feeding, it is a learned skill for the caregiver but I have seen this help in really hard situations. Since your baby has taken a bottle I doubt this will be needed but nice to know about jic. BTW I also have a nice written description of cup feeding done by a lactation consultant that I can provide if you like.

Re: Baby refusing bottle

Thanks for the response/encouragement.We will see how she does with the bottle today. If I need the info on cup feeding I will let you know. The link you gave also gave me some new ideas to try. Thanks ladies for all you do!

Re: Baby refusing bottle

Well I am glad to say thatmy baby took a bottle from my FIL tonight without and fuss! That make me feel much better about work next week. I had all of these "what ifs"running through my mind. Thanks for the help/support.